[Baren]: The mailing list / discussion forum for woodblock printmaking.

Baren Digest                Monday, 7 June 1999        Volume 07 : Number 586

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From: laughingcrow@usa.net
Date: 6 Jun 99 09:30:06 MDT
Subject: [Baren 4549] 

Dear Roxanne,

Yes, I will be there both weeks.  I had really debated whether to take that
particular workshop, but decided to go with two (monoprints and screenprints)
that I had less experience with to better benefit my teaching.

I have been in e-mail touch with Karla- didn't know she was a Baren member.  I
am also very much looking forward to the diversity of the exchange.  

Where do you live that you can "pop by" for bowling?

Lezle

P.S.  I'll let you know how Italy compares to Vermillion!!

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From: "Jean Eger" <jeaneger@LanMinds.Com>
Date: Sun, 6 Jun 1999 09:38:35 -0700
Subject: [Baren 4550] Re:   Baren Digest V7 #585 

> Subject: [Baren 4546] Re: Alselm Keifer's Woodcut Oeuvre
> >Where can I see some of his woodcuts? All I can find are his "paintings",

Two of Kiefer's woodcuts are shown in "Thinking Print," published by the
Museum of Modern Art, New York, 1996.  They are "Grane" and "Der Rhein."

"Grane" is a woodcut with paint additions on 13 sheets mounted on linen.
Overall size is 109 1/16" x 98 1/2".  The overall print is in the shape of a
"T."  The ascender of the T contains a horse with an x-ray vision skeleton.
The horse stands in profile in a poorly defined landscape.  However, there
appears to be a fire burning between the viewer and the horse.  The cross of
the T is entirely wood grain, with the word "Grane" in script in the middle,
just over the horse.  The whole print is black and white with some light
orange rust tint here and there.

The second print, "Der Rhein," 1983 is from an illustrated book with 21
woodcuts.  The page is 23 1/4" x 16 1/2".  It is black and white.  It is a
landscape that crosses the center margin of the book, so it appears to have
a white line going down the middle.  It is a simple contrast study, with two
trees, a bush and a body of water, (a lake).  One can see a little grain in
the water waves.  It is a very strong evocation of the scenery.

Deborah Wye, the author of "Thinking Print," says,

"Although figures naturally predominate in the "new figuration" that arrived
with neo=Expressionism, the term actually applies to any visually
recognizable subject matter that signals the artist's concern with speciric
dfontent. With Kiefer it can be the horse iconically placed over a fiery
pyre in the print Grane, 1980-93 (plate 29), or the empty river landscape in
the book Der Rhein, 1983 (plate 30).  Woodcut is used directly and
spontaneously in these works, both of which were made in the artist's
studio, again with no attention to professional printing standards.  With
the rough grain of woodplanks clearly evident, sheets pasted down
irregularly, oil staining through the surfaces, ink cracking, and paper
buckling, both works evidence the process of their making.  In doingt so
they nmake their viewers participantsw: imagining that process becomes part
of the experience of looking.

    The subject of Grane which relates to Wagnerian opera and to early
Germanic myths and legends, does not need to be fully comprehended for the
viewer to feel its romantic mood of tragedy and renewal, beyond a specific
time and country.  Der Rhein, one example of Kiefer's many works in the book
format, engages the viewer in a kind of performance thgough the sequence of
its pages.  At first glance, the bold black and white compositions seem
abstract; but then the motif of the river emerges as the viewer "walks"
along its banks, page by page.
    Younger German artists have continued this tradition of making woodcuts
in their own studios, often in unique impressions rather than editions...."


I hope this helps.  I was intrigued by this print and also by Immendorf's
large woodcut "Futurologe," which I saw in the Brooklyn Museum. The cultural
heritage of the expressionist woodcut appears to be alive and well in
Germany.  I was planning to use these two examples in a slide lecture, so am
glad of a chance to review them.

Jean Eger

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From: James G Mundie <jimandkatemundie@juno.com>
Date: Sun, 6 Jun 1999 14:44:06 -0400
Subject: [Baren 4551] converting "oiled" blocks for hanga

Thanks to all for the interesting replies to my question about converting
blocks used for oil-based printing to water-based.  I've been busy these
last couple of days, but now have a moment to give some replies and
perhaps ask more questions.

In response to my question about using a spoon instead of a baren on
moist washi, Graham wrote:

>Before answering this James I would like to know what is the size of 
>your bamboo spoon. How much of a convex has it.

My trusty spoon is 23cm long, of which 10cm accounts for the 'basin' at
the business end.  The underside is, of course the part that comes into
actual contact with the paper. The top side of the basin has a gentle
concave curve perhaps .5cm at its deepest point.  Carved into the
underside is an ovoid depression 6cm long and 3.5cm wide.  Surrounding
this is a horseshoe-shaped area that is responsible for the actual
printing, measuring about 1.5cm wide at the top and 2cm wide on either
side.  

These spoons vary a great deal from one to another and from printer to
printer, but the area on my spoon that shows use through polish is in the
first 6cm of the tip, the first 3cm of which has received the greatest
degree of luster.

***
Then, Dave said:

>If the varnish really seals the surface of the wood totally, to the
>extent that water can no longer sink down into the wood, then you're a
>dead duck. ...
>The pigment/paste/water mixture will not lie smoothly on such a surface,and
>the block can't be printed.

This is good to know.  I hadn't considered that the block's water
absorption was necessary to the process.  I suppose I had considered it
merely a consequence.

***

Brad said:

>Depending on the composition/image, wouldn't it be easier if you use 
>your oil based block as a key block, transfer to your color blocks... carve 
>the color blocks, etc... Then print your waterbased blocks and overprint
>them with the final black oil based block...

The thought had occurred to me, but I wanted to give the traditional way
a whirl. It seems to me that I would have some problems getting the
registration right using any of these methods, as the color blocks would
surely expand wider than the key -- even using the above method and
waiting until the sheet was dry to print the key.

***
Horacio said:

>Before I've definitively decided to work only with black and white
>prints, I made some enjoyable experiences with color on the background
>of main blocks and I would like to describe one of the methods I've
>tried. etc.

Now this is interesting.  In the past, I have made acetate or mylar
stencils like you describe above for monotypes run through a press, but I
never thought of doing this with woodblock.  I will have to give this a
try.  

Any suggestions for the best way to handle the printing of the acetates? 
I would think they might move around a lot while printing.  I suppose one
could turn the paper "right-side up" and rub the acetate rather than the
paper... hmmm.

Mise le meas,
James Mundie

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From: Jack Reisland <reislandj001@hawaii.rr.com>
Date: Sun, 06 Jun 1999 09:40:03 +0000
Subject: [Baren 4552] Re:   Baren Digest V7 #585 

Jean Eger wrote:
> Two of Kiefer's woodcuts are shown in "Thinking Print," published by the
> Museum of Modern Art, New York, 1996.  They are "Grane" and "Der Rhein."

Thank you for all that information. I was hoping to find an image or two on
line. I'm having a hard time imagining woodcuts from the same artist that made
those paintings.

Jack

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From: karla <khackenm@bmtc.net>
Date: Sun, 06 Jun 1999 16:27:52 -0600
Subject: [Baren 4553] Re: Baren Digest V7 #585 

Yep!  I'm still out here, Roxanne -- South Dakota this time, not
Nebraska. Though, from the landscape, who could tell?  And, yes, we've
got a fantastic workshop (Frogman's Print & Paper Workshops) coming up
in July with two of the courses in relief.  I've been corresponding with
your students and was happy to hear that Katharine Gross will be coming
back again.  Man, what a worker!  I will be happy to see you, too, for
the bowling tournament.  You know, I am the defending champion as
captain of the "King Pins".  (I think I kept score, too . . . . . )

If any of you are interested in receiving information about next
summer's workshops, let me know and I will put you on list.  It's one
heckuva good time and very educational.  People of all skill levels and
ages attend, beginners to professors and professionals. One of the
people we have coming next year to teach relief is Tom Huck, of St.
Louis, who makes great, large, satirical woodcuts.

And next May I will be team-teaching a printmaking and drawing course in
Italy, so I will get to see for myself how it compares to Vermillion,
South Dakota.

Karla
http://www.bmtc.net/~frogmans

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End of Baren Digest V7 #586
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